New SW Tank - Need Advice (Won't Cycle)

[IFellTowers]

Tank Setup: 25G SW setup with Live Rock (no substrate yet). Currently trying to cycle, but well into the 7th week. Ammonia .25 ppm, Nitrites .10, Nitrates 20. I've been doing 5 gallon changeouts weekly. Nitrates have been dropping with changeouts, but Ammonia has been steady since Live Rock introduced. Live Rock was sold as "partially cured," so I just picked off the obvious, blew the rest off with a powerhead and placed in a new tank. Setup is as follows:

Tank: 25G, 2' W x 1' D x 2' H (give or take...)
LR: 22 lbs Fiji
Salinity: 1.022
Temp: 80
ph: 8.0
Alk: 2.2
Fish: Recently added 1 Blue Damsel / 1 Blue Green Chromi trying to "help" tank cycle (Blue Damsel is currently MIA since first day)
Filter: Eheim Ecco Canister (2234) with 132 GPH return
Protein Skimmer: None
Powerheads: 1 225 GPH straight and 1 175 GPH "Wavemaker" (is this too much including canister return-Chromi seems to be blowing all over the place...maybe that's why the Damsel is MIA...he might be hiding in a hole....)

Am I just being impatient? Anything else I can do to get this thing to cycle? I didn't want to add the fish (seems cruel) but the LFS suggested it as the next course of action. On a side note: is there too much current in the tank? Any advice is very much appreciated. Needless to say: this is my first SW tank....FW for years.

[hyeteck]

I would use a natural filtration method. Sell your canister and setup a sump.

Get little 5 gallon tank and put it in your stand. Add some live rock and chaeto in there. Not more than the size of your fist. It grows FAST! Add a little light from home depot. Sell your Canister filter and get a eheim in water return pump. Drop the eheim in your sump to feed the water back into your tank.

Basic 5 Gallon rectangular tank at Local Fish Store - $10

Lighting - $15
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...3+90048+501093

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...+10048001+1487

Chaeto from local Fish Store - Should be free from LFS.

If you are willing to spend a little more, i would strongly recommend getting a skimmer.

[IFellTowers]

Thanks so much for the input!

I had actually considered a small sump underneath (and a five gallon is about all that will fit!) but I went with a canister to avoid all of the HOB clutter. Between the overflow box and a HOB skimmer I worried about the clutter. Although...with a sump I could get rid of the heater in the tank.....hmmm....something to think about....! You know anyone who wants a (slightly) used canister?!?

[lostanime]

Originally Posted by IFellTowers

Tank Setup: 25G SW setup with Live Rock (no substrate yet). Currently trying to cycle, but well into the 7th week. Ammonia .25 ppm, Nitrites .10, Nitrates 20.

If your testing measurable amounts of ammonia and nitrite, your tank is not cycled yet... patience... it can take a good month or two to cure live rock. definitely don't add more fish - ammonia and nitrite can put a serious hurting on your critters.

I certainly agree with hyeteck's advice on skimmer - I would personally opt for a skimmer even if it meant not having a canister or HOB filtration - in my opinion it's the single most important "add on" filtration for a saltwater tank since it removes organics and waste before they ever have a chance to break down and pollute your water.

[IFellTowers]

Thanks much for the advice! I will indeed exercise some PATIENCE, which I was beginning to wonder if I was being "that guy."

On a side note: don't protein skimmers skim both good and bad stuff forcing additive use? Please excuse me for not elaborating, but frankly I'm not sure what exactly the bad and good stuff is....